1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a slide fastener finishing apparatus which forms a slider and a stop portion in a fastener chain and particularly, the present invention relates to a slide fastener finishing apparatus, in which a pair of right and left element rows as a fastener chain are inserted from a rear opening of a slider with being coupled each other, each of the element rows separated after insertion are coupled again and the stop portion for joining one element coupling end portion to other element coupling end portion is formed.
2. Description of the Related Art
Conventionally, a slide fastener finishing apparatus has been in heavy use in order to obtain a slide fastener finished product by mounting a slider and a stop portion to a fastener chain to be attached to a fly of pants, clothes, a bag or the like.
According to this conventional slide fastener finishing apparatus, for example, with a pull of a slider located on a lower side, the slider is held by a slider holding portion of a support table and respective front end portions of the fastener chain, of which element rows are separated from side to side, are held by fingers, so that these front end portions are inserted from a shoulder of the slider with right and left portions thereof being aligned. Respective element rows after insertion are discharged backward from a rear opening of the slider with being coupled and then, a lower stop implement, which is supplied to a lower stop portion forming portion disposed at a chain downstream side of the slider holding portion, is hammered into a fastener tape by a punch to be attached thereto. For example, an example of this kind of a slide fastener finishing apparatus is described in Japanese Patent Publication No. 51-185 and Japanese Patent Publication No. 59-48085.
Alternatively, for example, Japanese Utility Model Publication No. 6-36737 discloses a slider fit-in apparatus as other slide fastener finishing apparatus for attaching two sliders to a fastener chain with opposing their shoulders or rear openings each other. According to the slider fit-in apparatus disclosed in this publication, an upper plate of one slider is kept in a horizontal state by a slider holding portion disposed at an upper end portion of a slider holding block and the slider is held by gripping a pull hanging downward. In adjacent to the slider holding block, a rotary table, on which a plurality of slider holding portions each having the same constitution are provided in the form of radiation, are arranged rotatably around a horizontal axis, so that the slider is sequentially held at the slider holding portion with rotating this rotary table by gripping a pull of the other slider to be sequentially transmitted from a supply portion. A shoulder or a rear opening of the other slider held at this slider holding portion is positioned with being opposed to the shoulder or the rear opening of one slider by the rotation of the rotary table.
The one slider holds the slider as described above in such a manner that the shoulder or the rear opening of the slider is directed to a chain introduction side by a manual labor to be supplied to the slider holding portion of the slider holding block with the pull of the slider is hanging. The other slider is held at the slider holding portion of the rotary table and rotated, and then the slider stops toward the chain introduction side under the condition that the shoulder or the rear opening of the slider is opposed to the shoulder or the rear opening of the one slider.
After the other slider is supplied, when the rotation of the rotary table stops, the fastener chain is transmitted to a fastener chain insertion position of the slider and the fastener chain is inserted from the shoulder or the rear opening of the pair of sliders held along a transfer path of the fastener chain.
Further, Japanese Patent No. 2631048 discloses one example of other slide fastener finishing apparatus. The slide fastener finishing apparatus disclosed in this publication comprises a lower stop implement attaching device for attaching a lower stop implement disposed at the chain upstream side along the transfer path of the fastener chain and a slider holding device for attaching the slider disposed rotatably at the chain downstream side of the lower stop implement attaching device around the horizontal axis. The fastener chain is transmitted from the chain upstream side to the downstream side across the lower stop implement attaching device and the slider holding device by a gripper device.
In order to finish the slide fastener with using this conventional slide fastener finishing apparatus, it is necessary for the slider to be supplied to a slider supplying position located above the slider holding device with hanging the pull and directing the shoulder of the slider toward the chain introduction side. In the supplied slider, the pull of the slider is held at the slider holding device and then, the slider holding device is rotated by 180 degrees downward, so that the pull of the slider is held at a front side to make the slider stand at a slider insertion position.
A pair of right and left element rows of a fastener chain is gripped by the gripper device with being coupled, transmitted along the transfer path of the fastener chain and inserted from the rear opening of the slider, so that the slider is mounted to the fastener chain. After that, under the condition that the element rows are coupled, the lower stop implements are attached for each required length of the fastener chain from the upper plate side of the slider by the lower stop implement attaching device disposed on the chain upstream side of the slider holding device and then, the fastener chain is cut.
Alternatively, as other slide fastener finishing apparatus, for example, Japanese Patent Publication No. 59-51819 discloses the lower stop implement attaching apparatus, which forms a space in the continuous element rows as well as hammers the lower stop implement into a fastener tape at the end portion of this space by shearing and cutting a portion of a head in the element rows of the fastener chain to be transferred with the pair of right and left element rows engaged each other.
Further, Japanese Patent Publication No. 6-71446 discloses a slide fastener manufacturing apparatus for attaching a lower stop implement by a lower stop implement attaching device disposed at an upstream side of a chain of a slider holding device in such a manner that a front end of a fastener chain with the element rows being closed is gripped by a gripper device, the fastener chain is inserted from a rear opening of a slider held by the slider holding device with the pull being located on the underside thereof and the element rows are separated.
Generally, in the case of obtaining a slide fastener finished product by attaching a single slider and a stop implement to a fastener chain, for example a pair of separated upper stop implements is formed at one end of the fastener chain in advance and then, other end portion of the fastener chain is inserted from a shoulder of the slider under the condition that the right and left element rows of the fastener chain are separated. After respective inserted element rows are transmitted backward from the rear opening of the slider with being engaged with each other, the lower stop implement for connecting element coupling end portions is formed in the fastener chain.
By the way, for example, in a traveling bag opened and closed by a slide fastener, there is a case that a single slider is inserted in a fastener chain and the stop implements for connecting element coupling end portions are formed respectively at the opposite ends of this chain.
In order to finish the slide fastener to be used for the opening portion of such a traveling bag or the like, at first, a stop implement for connecting the element coupling end portions is formed at a portion inlying by a certain length from one end of the fastener chain whose element rows being coupled with each other. After that, the one end is inserted in the rear opening of the slider, so that the element rows of the fastener chain are separated. The front end portions of the separated element rows are coupled by a manual labor, so that a stop implement having the same constitution as that of said stop implement is formed at a front end portion of the coupled element rows.
Alternatively, for example, in a boiler suit, there is a case that it is required that its fly is opened from the both of the upper and the lower sides. Upon finishing a slide fastener to be used for the fly of this boiler suit, in order to attach two sliders and stop implements to a fastener chain, it is necessary for the two sliders to be inserted in the fastener chain under the condition that the rear openings of the sliders are opposed to each other. In the case of obtaining such a slide fastener finished product, an upper stop implement is formed at one end of the slide fastener in advance and the fastener chain with the right and left element rows being separated is supplied along a fastener chain transfer path of a slide fastener finishing apparatus.
The supplied fastener chain is inserted from a shoulder of one slider, which is fixed and supported on the transfer path in advance, and then, the fastener chain is transmitted backward from the rear opening of the slider with the right and left element rows being coupled with each other. Continuously, the fastener chain with the right and left element rows being closed has been continued to be supplied along the transfer path, so that the fastener chain is inserted in the rear opening of other slider, which has been fixed and supported on this transfer path in advance. Then, the fastener chain with the inserted right and left element rows being opened is transmitted from the shoulder of the slider toward the chain transfer direction. After these element rows of the fastener chain with the right and left element rows being opened are coupled with each other by a manual labor, a stop implement for connecting the element coupling end portions is formed.
Normally, upon attaching a single stop implement such as a lower stop implement to a fastener chain, it is needed that the element rows of the fastener chain located at the stop implement attaching position should be closed. However, as described above, in the fastener chain to be pulled out from the shoulder side of the slider, the right and left element rows are separated, so that, if a stop implement for connecting the element coupling end portions is formed there, as described above, it is necessary for the separated right and left element rows to be coupled by a manual labor at once.
In this way, under the condition that the right and left element rows are opened, the fastener chain is transmitted from the shoulder of the slider. Then, the fastener chain with the right and left element rows being opened is coupled by a manual labor, so that the element rows are closed and in this condition, the element coupling end portions are supplied to a stop implement forming device for connecting the element coupling end portions, thereby forming a stop implement. Therefore, between the manual work and the lower stop implement attaching operation, the operation temporally breaks off, so that the continuous operation is not capable of being performed. This makes the working efficiency lowered and further, this makes it difficult that the fastener chain is continuously and automatically finished.
The present invention has been achieved in order to solve the above conventional problems. A concrete object of the invention is to provide a slide fastener finishing apparatus capable of continuously and effectively performing a coupling step of element rows of a fastener chain and a forming step of a stop portion in such a manner that a slider is inserted from its rear opening with a pair of right and left element rows of the fastener chain being coupled each other, separating side end portions of the inserted element rows are mechanically coupled and it enables to continuously form the stop portion for connecting these element coupling end portions.
Specifically, according to a slider fastener finishing apparatus of the invention, the slider is inserted from its rear opening with a pair of right and left element rows of a fastener chain being coupled and the separating side end portions of the inserted element rows are connected each other. The slider fastener finishing apparatus comprises a slider passing portion which is disposed on a transfer path of the fastener chain and holds the slider with directing the rear opening of the slider toward the introduction side of the fastener chain, and an element coupling portion disposed at the chain downstream side of the slider passing portion.
According to this slide fastener finishing apparatus, the rear opening of the slider is held toward the introduction side of the fastener chain at a slider passing portion laid on the transfer path of the fastener chain, the pair of right and left element rows of the fastener chain with being coupled with each other are inserted in the rear opening of the slider and the separating side end portions of the element row, which have been transmitted from the shoulder of the slider, are inserted in the element coupling portion disposed at the chain downstream side of the slider passing portion to couple the respective element rows again, so that it is possible that the stop portions for connecting the element coupling end portions are formed at the front ends of the respective element rows with being closed.
Further, on the transfer path of the fastener chain, the fastener chain is inserted from the rear opening of the slider and the element rows of the fastener chain with the element rows being separated are mechanically coupled again, so that it becomes possible to continuously perform the coupling operation of the fastener chain and the forming operation of a stop portion to connect the element coupling end portion. Thus, it is possible to extremely improve the work efficiency, to increase the productivity, to decrease the manufacturing cost and further, to decrease the burden of an operator.
Alternatively, it is possible to comprise a constitution such that the slider passing portion has a fitting concave portion for fitting and supporting a lower plate of the slider as well as has a suction opening on its bottom.
According to such a constitution, it is possible to Ad position and fix the slider by a suction force at the fitting concave portion of the slider passing portion via a sucking hole, which is formed at a bottom of this fitting concave portion with the rear opening of the slider being directed toward the introduction side of the fastener chain and its lower plate being fit and supported. Therefore, despite of a simple constitution for setting the slider it is possible to certainly and stably position and fix the slider. As a result, it is possible to accurately and smoothly insert a fastener chain to be transmitted on the transfer path of the fastener chain in the slider.
Alternatively, it is possible to comprise a slider fixing member movable up and down having contact surface, which contacts a part of an upper surface of the slider on its lower face side, on an upper part of the slider passing portion.
According to such a constitution, the slider fixing member comes down from a waiting position at an upper position of the transfer path of the fastener chain toward the slider passing portion so as to abut against a part of an upper face of the slider which is fit and supported in the fitting concave portion of the slider passing portion and further, to clip and fix the slider so that it does not move. At the same time, it is possible to insert the above fastener chain in the slider from the rear opening. In this case, even if the external force is effected on the slider by a slide contact of the fastener chain, it is possible to make the slider unmovable, so that there is an advantage such that the smooth and stable insertion operation of the fastener chain is performed.
Further, it is possible to comprise a constitution such that the slider fixing member further has an introduction guide portion of the fastener chain and a chain introduction opening of the introduction guide portion has an inclined surface inclined downward in the chain introduction direction.
According to such a constitution, the slider may be fixed between the slider fixing member and the fitting concave portion of the slider passing portion as well as the fastener chain may be introduced and guided toward a inside of the slider from the chain introduction opening of the introduction guide portion of the slider fixing member. Since the chain introduction opening of the introduction guide portion is formed to an inclined face inclined downward toward the chain introduction direction, even if the upper and lower introduction positions of the fastener chain is slightly displaced, it is possible to guide the fastener chain from the inclined face to the inside of the slider and smoothly insert the fastener chain in the slider.
Further, it is possible that the element coupling portion has an introduction guide space for aligning and introducing the element rows separated at the slider passing portion, and an element coupling space for coupling the elements of the element rows disposed at the chain downstream side of the introduction guide space and separated.
According to such a constitution, the fastener chain transmitted from the slider passing portion with the element rows being separated are aligned and guided in the introduction guide space of the element coupling portion to be inserted therein and these aligned element rows are transmitted in the element coupling space disposed at the chain downstream side of the introduction guide space, so that it is possible to couple the element rows each other again.
Thus, the fastener chain, of which element rows to be transmitted from the slider passing portion are separated, is introduced and guided to the element coupling portion along the transfer path of the fastener chain and the separated element rows are automatically coupled only by passing the element coupling portion, so that it is possible to effectively and continuously shift the coupling step of the fastener chain to a next stop portion forming step without the troublesome work.
Further, it is possible to provide a constitution such that the element coupling portion moves up and down in cooperation with the slider fixing member.
According to such a constitution, the element coupling portion and the slider fixing member are disposed on the same horizontal surface in the upper position of the transfer path of the fastener chain, so that they can move up and down toward the fastener chain in cooperation with each other. The both of the element coupling portion and the slider fixing member can come down from a waiting position in the upper position of the fastener chain transfer path toward the fastener chain transfer path by a desired distance, i.e., they can come down up to the upper contacting position of the slider fitted with the fitting concave portion formed on the slider fixing position on the fastener chain transfer path. Therefore, the lower face of the element coupling member of the element coupling portion abuts on the upper surface of the fastener chain transfer path, so that it is possible to continuously and linearly form the fastener chain transfer space between the element coupling portion and the slider fixing member, and the fastener chain transfer path.
Alternatively, in the fastener chain transfer space including the element coupling portion and the slider fixing position, the element rows are introduced to the slider fixing position with being coupled, the element rows to be separated side by side upon passing through the slider fixing position are aligned on the same plane to be introduced and guided toward the next element coupling portion and the separated element rows are coupled again while they are passing through the element coupling portion, so that it is possible to shift the step to a next stop portion forming step smoothly.
After forming the stop portion, the both of the element coupling member and the slider fixing member simultaneously rise and return to the waiting position in the upper portion of the fastener chain transfer path and the fastener chain transfer path right below the element coupling portion and the slider fixing member is released, so that it becomes possible to easily and smoothly take out the fastener chain finished product. After the fastener chain finished product is taken out from the transfer path, a next slider is fit with the fitting concave portion of the slider fixing position. Hereafter, the above described operation may be repeated.
As understood from the above, the element coupling member and the slider fixing member can move up and down in cooperation with each other, so that it becomes possible to assemble them in the same support frame to be unitized. Therefore, there is an advantage capable of downsizing the apparatus.
Further, it is possible to provide interval changing means for enabling an interval between the element coupling portion and the slider fixing member to be changed.
According to such a constitution, for example, it is possible to constitute the element coupling portion and the slider fixing member so that they are fixed and supported slidably by a common support frame. Further, it is possible to change the interval between the element coupling portion and the slider fixing member along the transfer path of the fastener chain. By changing the interval between the element coupling portion and the slider fixing member, it becomes possible to freely set an interval between the element coupling portion and the slider fixing member depending on the flexibility and the length of a slide fastener as a finished product. Alternatively, in the interval changing means, a conventionally known constitution whereby the element coupling portion and the slider fixing member are slidable with respect to the support frame may be applied.
Further, in the slide fastener finishing apparatus, it is possible to provide a constitution such that a stop portion forming unit is further disposed at the chain downstream side of the element coupling portion to connect the coupling end portions of the right and left element rows.
According to such a constitution, after the right and left element rows separated at the slider passing portion are coupled again at the element coupling portion, it is possible to transfer these element rows to the stop portion forming unit for a single stop portion disposed at the downstream side thereof. Then, at this stop portion forming unit, it is possible to form a stop portion for integrally connecting the coupling end portions of the coupled element rows.
Alternatively, as the stop portion, a metal stop portion having a conventional lateral C-shape or a lateral H-shape in section or the like may be used and an element coupling end portion may be fused directly or via a fused tape piece to form a fused stop portion. The stop portion forming unit according to the present invention may comprise a punch and a die, and further, may be provided with a heating and fusing device and a supersonic fusing device or the like.
Further, a fastener chain to be transferred from the element coupling portion is capable of being transferred to the stop portion forming unit continuously along the transfer path of the fastener chain, so that it becomes possible to continuously perform the stop portion forming operation after the coupling operation of the fastener chain. Additionally, by sequentially providing the slider passing portion, the element coupling portion and the stop portion forming unit having such a constitution, for example, it also becomes possible to automate all the operations by the use of well known transfer means of a fastener chain, for example, consisting of a gripper or the like.
Further, in the slide fastener finishing apparatus, it is possible to provide a constitution such that the stop portion forming unit may be provided movably up and down toward the fastener chain, and stop portion forming member for forming the stop portion at the coupling end portion of the fastener chain and a tape pressing and holding member for pressing and holding the right and left fastener tapes to a support table are provided movably up and down toward the fastener chain.
According to such a constitution, when the fastener chain is transferred from the fastener chain transfer path right below the element coupling portion and the slider fixing member to the stop portion forming unit, before the stop portion forming unit does not come down, it is possible to come down the tape pressing and holding member individually toward the fastener chain on the road that the stop portion forming unit is coming down and between this stop portion forming unit and the support table and further, it becomes possible to position and fix the right and left fastener tapes by pressing and holding them with respect to the support table with overpassing the element rows. After the fastener chain is positioned on the support table to be fixed in the immovable condition, the above described formation of the stop portion is performed by the stop portion forming unit. Therefore, the fastener chain is not moved in vain, so that it becomes possible to accurately form the stop portion.
Further, in the slide fastener finishing apparatus, it is possible to comprise a constitution such that the tape pressing and holding member is disposed between the stop portion forming unit and the support table, has an insertion guide path through which the stop portion forming unit are capable of being inserted, and presses and holds the right and left fastener tapes on the support table with overpassing the element rows.
According to such a constitution, the tape pressing and holding member can be disposed on the lower position of the stop portion forming unit when the stop portion forming unit is not operated, so that the pressing and holding member may come down at first and the stop portion forming unit may come down after pressing and holding the right and left fastener tale of the fastener chain. Because the stop portion forming unit comes down within an insertion path of the tape pressing and holding member, it is possible to form the stop portion at the element coupling end portion of the fastener chain.
Alternatively, the tape pressing and holding member can press and hold the fastener tape in the vicinity of the element coupling end portion for forming the stop portion, so that the element coupling end portion is prevented from being displaced upon forming a stop portion and it is possible to form the stop portion in a stable condition. Further, the stop portion forming unit can form a stop portion under the condition that the stop portion forming unit is inserted through the insertion path of the tape pressing and holding member, so that it is possible to prevent the stop portion forming unit from coming in contact with a finger of the operator upon forming a stop portion, thereby securing safety of the operation.
If an interval between the lower face of the tape pressing and holding member and the support table is set to be narrower so that a finger of the operator is not capable of inserting therein, it is possible to certainly prevent the contact between the stop portion forming member and the operator""s finger.
Further, the slide fastener finishing apparatus may comprise a tube for guiding the movement back and forth of the stop portion forming unit in the tape pressing and holding member.
According to such a constitution, the stop portion forming unit can insert in a tube of the tape pressing and holding member with pressing an upper surface of the stop piece for forming the stop portion and transfer the stop piece toward the element coupling end portion of the fastener chain. Since the transfer of the stop piece is guided by the tube, a posture of the stop piece is not changed during the transfer, so that it is possible to supply the stop piece to the element coupling end portion in a right posture and to form the stop portion in a stable manner.
In addition, in the slide fastener finishing apparatus, the stop portion forming unit may comprise a cutting punch for cutting a linear material as a raw material of a stop portion into a stop piece having a certain length and folding it in a substantially reversed U-shape and a driver punch for pressing the upper surface of the stop piece and hammering this piece into the fastener tape, and the tape pressing and holding member may comprise the tube which provides the falling position of the cutting punch as well as guides the falling of the driver punch.
According to such a constitution, in order to form the stop portion at the fastener chain in the stop portion forming unit, in the case that the stop portion is, for example, a lateral C-shaped metal stop portion, after the linear material as the raw material of the stop portion is supplied to an upper surface of a bender disposed right below the cutting punch, the cutting punch is let down toward the linear material for the stop portion, so that it is possible to cut the linear material by a certain length in accordance with the falling of this cutting punch. At this time, since the driver punch as one of the stop portion forming members is also let down together with the cutting punch, so that after cutting the linear material, the cutting punch is capable of folding the stop piece in a substantially reversed U-shape having two leg portions of which lower edges are opened with respect to the bender by further sending down the cutting punch and the driver punch.
After the stop piece is folded down, by further sending down the cutting punch, the bender moves to a position far from a falling down path of the cutting punch. Then, under the condition that the falling of the cutting punch is stopped, it is possible to continue the falling of the driver punch. Due to this falling of the driver punch, it is possible to hammer the stop piece folded in a substantially lateral C-shape into the fastener tape.